P
US8939467B2ActiveUtilityPatentIndex 52

Vehicle steering wheel, gas bag module for a vehicle steering wheel

Assignee: ZAHN MATTHIASPriority: Jul 7, 2011Filed: Jul 9, 2012Granted: Jan 27, 2015
Est. expiryJul 7, 2031(~5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:ZAHN MATTHIAS
B60R 21/203B60R 21/215B62D 1/04B60R 21/2035
52
PatentIndex Score
2
Cited by
23
References
12
Claims

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, and wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted. It is provided that the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub. It thus becomes possible that in the case of an attachment of the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft, the steering wheel fastening region is accessible in axial direction and is not covered by the mounted gas bag.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel skeleton forms a receptacle for the gas bag, in which the gas bag is arranged, and wherein the receptacle is formed eccentrically to the steering wheel hub. 
     
     
       2. The vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is formed integrally with other elements of the steering wheel skeleton. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein the steering wheel skeleton includes a spoke region and the receptacle is formed in the spoke region. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas bag forms a vacuum-packed gas bag package. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein a gas generator is attached directly to the steering wheel skeleton or is integrated into the same. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas bag is arranged in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and eccentrically to the steering wheel hub such that the gas bag is arranged laterally of the steering wheel hub in a space region of maximally about 240°. 
     
     
       7. A gas bag module for a vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas bag module is formed such that it can be arranged in radial direction outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub of a vehicle steering wheel. 
     
     
       8. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, and wherein the steering wheel includes a two-part covering cap facing a driver, wherein a first part of the covering cap covers the gas bag and a second part of the covering cap covers the steering wheel hub. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 8 , wherein the second part of the covering cap includes at least one control element and/or at least one display element. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle steering wheel according to  claim 8 , wherein the second part of the covering cap is movably mounted and coupled with elements which realize a horn function. 
     
     
       11. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the gas bag is part of a prefabricated gas bag module including a gas generator, which has been mounted in the vehicle steering wheel before mounting the same to a steering shaft, wherein the steering wheel includes a two-part covering cap facing a driver, and wherein a first part of the covering cap covers the gas bag and a second part of the covering cap covers the steering wheel hub and the first part of the covering cap is part of the gas bag module, while the second part of the covering cap has been attached to a steering shaft in the vehicle steering wheel after assembly of the steering wheel. 
     
     
       12. A vehicle steering wheel with a steering wheel skeleton comprising a steering wheel hub, a steering wheel rim and steering wheel spokes which connect the steering wheel rim with the steering wheel hub, wherein the steering wheel hub includes a steering wheel fastening region for fastening the vehicle steering wheel to a steering shaft of a vehicle, wherein in the vehicle steering wheel a gas bag is mounted, wherein the gas bag is arranged in the vehicle steering wheel in radial direction exclusively outside the steering wheel hub and/or eccentrically to the steering wheel hub, wherein the gas bag is part of a prefabricated gas bag module including a gas generator, which has been mounted in the vehicle steering wheel before mounting the same to a steering shaft, and wherein the gas bag module includes a one-part covering cap facing a driver, which includes a protruding region provided with an opening, which covers the steering wheel hub.

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